March 2006 - Report and Summary

The month of March 2006 was slightly warmer and slightly wetter than normal. It was another month of sharp contrast, with very warm temperatures at the beginning and end of the month, and well below normal temperatures during the middle. Compared with March 2005, the month was 3.6 degrees warmer, and 2.76 inches wetter. Year-to-date rainfall through month's end was 4.04 inches greater in 2006 than in 2005. The thirty-day outlook for March 2006 had called for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.

The first week and a half of the month sharply reversed February's trend of near to below normal temperatures and ample precipitation. Between the 1st and 12th, three record high temperatures were tied or established. The week February 26-March 4 saw temperatures about 6 degrees warmer than normal, and rainfall under 5 percent of normal. Upper air high pressure built over the region early in the week. Cool temperatures behind a strong cold front of the 25th quickly gave way to very warm readings. A cold front on the 2nd lowered temperatures only slightly. A record high maximum was established on the 1st. The week's only rainfall was with the cold front of the 25th. The week's average temperature was 61.9 deg., and rainfall was 0.02 inch. This was 18.0 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 9.8 deg. Warmer, and 0.51 inch drier.

The week March 5-11 was warmer still in both absolute and relative terms, with temperatures 12 degrees above normal and rainfall about one-half normal. A cold front on the night of the 8th brought the only rainfall, and short-lived cooling. Returning Tropical Maritime air on the night of the 10th brought very warm and humid conditions for the weekend, and a record high minimum temperature on the 11th. The week's average temperature was 70.3 deg., and rainfall was 0.48 inch. This was 8.4 deg. Warmer than the previous week Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 11.4 deg. Warmer and 0.38 inch wetter..

The week March 12-18 saw temperatures about 2 degrees warmer than normal, and rainfall about 120 percent of normal. A pronounced cooling trend began early in the week, which persisted through late in the month. At the beginning of the week, Tropical Maritime air dominated. It was replaced by a strong cold front on the 13th, which brought rainfall and lowered temperatures. There was a brief return of Tropical Maritime air on the 16th, which was replaced by a strong storm system and cold front on the following day. This brought general and localized heavy rainfall between the 18th and 20th, which caused rises on area rivers sending some of them above flood stage on the 19th. The week's average temperature was 62.1 deg., and rainfall was 1.06 inches. This was 8.2 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 7.7 deg. Warmer, and 1.02 inches wetter.

The week March 19-25 saw temperatures about 13 degrees below normal, and rainfall about 300 percent of normal. A very wet storm system, which moved in on the 18th, brought drenching rains on the 19th. It was followed by two strong cold fronts one on the 20th and another on the 23rd. The season's last freeze occurred on the morning of the 24th, with many stations excluding Tyler seeing a freeze on the 25th, as well. The week's average temperature was 48.9, which was 13.2 degrees colder than the previous week. Rainfall was 2.68 inches. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 12.4 degrees colder and 1.93 inches wetter.

The final six days of the month saw a strong warming trend, with temperatures climbing to normal by the 28th and to much above normal by week's end. A crossing disturbance on the 29th brought the week's only rainfall.

KEY TO SYMBOLS:

A = HAIL

B = BLOWING

D = DUST

F = FOG

H = HAZE

IP = SLEET

K = SMOKE

L = DRIZZLE

R = RAIN

S = SNOW

T = THUNDERSTORM

Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME

ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE

ZR = FREEZING RAIN

- = LIGHT

+ = HEAVY

The reporting period for temperatures and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. The reporting period for precipitation is for the twenty-four hours ending at noon GMT--6 a.m. CST and 7 a.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.

March 2006

MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS

01 84R 59 79

02 78 58 73 MX 1200-2400 75

03 75 54 69

04 72 47 68

05 77 57 70

06 85 57 78

07 78 58 75

08 83 65 78

09 78 61 69 0.48 T, PCPN 0900-1200, MX 1200-2400 76

10 85 47 75

11 85 70R 81

12 86 70R 81

13 81 54 64 0.42 PCPN 1000-1100, MX 1200-2400 71

14 68 44 63

15 68 41 65

16 80 60 75

17 75 49 68 MX 1200-2400 73

18 68 49 49 0.64 T, PCPN 0800-0900, 2000-2100 MX 1200-2400 56

19 51 49 50 0.96 T, PCPN 1400-1800

20 76 49 70 1.69 T, PCPN 0600-1200

21 70 40 55 MX 1200-2400 60

22 55 37 49 MX 1200-2400 53

23 49 37 42 0.03 PCPN 1100-1200

24 59 31 54

25 68 33 63

26 72 41 68

27 68 56 62 0.02 PCPN 2300-2400, MX 1200-2400 64

28 67 56 64 0.34 PCPN 0900-1400

29 71 52 69 0.13 F, PCPN 2100-2200

30 81 61 76

31 85 66 81

March 2006, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

1ST, RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM 84, PREVIOUS RECORD 83 IN 1940, 1992, AND 1997;

11TH, RECORD HIGH MINIMUM 70, PREVIOUS RECORD 69 IN 1985;

12TH RECORD HIGH MINIMUM 70, PREVIOUS RECORD 68 IN 1990;

20TH VERNAL EQUINOX, 1826;

23RD RECORD LOW MAXIMUM 43, PREVIOUS RECORD 45 IN 1912;

24TH LAST FREEZE;

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 86 ON THE 12TH,

LOWEST TEMPERATURE 31 ON THE 24TH;

AVERAGE MAXIMUM 71.8 F.,

AVERAGE MINIMUM 51.9 F.,

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 61.9 F.,

1.6 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS 163,

92.1 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.

COOLING DEGREE DAYS 80,

256.5 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;

TOTAL PRECIPITATION 4.71 IN.,

0.75 IN. GREATER THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.

118.9 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.

YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 13.62 IN.,

2.59 IN. GREATER THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,

123.6 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;

4 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;

1 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS HEAVILY RESTRICTED BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;

0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;